Cooling-jacket for electric-furnace electrodes.



PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

E RNAGE ELEGTRODES.

COOLING JACKET POR ELEG .APPLICATION FILED JAN.30, 1906.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK Mf BECKET, OF NIAGARA FALLS,v NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ELECTROMETALLURGICAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIR- GINIA,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1907.

Application filed January 30, 1906. Serial No. 298,622.

To all whom it may con/cern:

Beit known that I, FREDERICK M. BECKET, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCooling-Jackets for Electric-Furnace Electrodes, of which the followingis a specification.

The electrodes employed to conduct the current into the working zone orchamber of electric furnaces usually consist of rods of amorphous carbonor graphite, the outer ends of which carry metal terminals.

In the operation of many types of electric furnaces, difficulty isexperienced in preventing the excessive heatingof the electrodes,especially if their specific heat-conductivity is high. As a result, thecarbon rods become red hot and, if unprotected, are rapidly attacked andconsumed above the charge by the furnace gases or atmospheric oxygen.

' The metal terminals and conductors are also oxidation of carbon orously affects their liable to be overheated, and portions of the furnacestructure adjacent to the electrodes may be heated to a temperaturewhich seristrength, insulation and other properties. lIt has beenproposed to prevent the oxidation of such carbon electrodes bysurrounding them with a refractory jacket, for example one of carbon;but there are many cases in which the introduction into the charge Vofthe carbon o r other material of the jacket is very objectionable. Ithas also been proposed to apply cooling means to portions ofthe furnaceadjacent to the electrodes, thus keeping the temperature of these parts,and lalso that =of part of the electrodes, below the point at whichoxidation will occur.

The present invention is an improved means for cooling vand preventingthe rapid raphite electrodes, consisting of a cooling j acIzet orjackets which closely surround the'electrode and aresupported fso as tobe longitudinally and independently adjustable upon the electrode andwithin the furnace.

A suitable construction is shown in the accompanying drawing, in whichFigure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a smelting furnace,showing two depending electrodes and their cooling 2 is a verticaltransverse section of a furnace jackets are s jackets; and Fig. thegaseous showing an electrode provided with two superposed coolingjackets.

The furnace shown comprises a iioor and sides 1 and a roof 2 offire-brick. In the roof are two vertical openings 3 through which passthe cooling jackets 4, preferably of iron, which in turn receive theelectrodes 5, 6 of opposite polarity, having terminals and supports 5',6. To the upper end of each jacket are connected pipes 7, 8, carried bya bracket 9 which is adjustably mounted on a vertical rod 10. The pipes7, 8 serve both as a means for adjustabiy supporting the jackets 4;independently of the furnace-roof and electrodes and for the supply anddischarge of water or other cooling medium.

Fig. 2 shows a modified construction in which the electrode is providedwith ,two superposed cooling jackets 3, 3. The lower jacket is/clampedwithin a ring 1 1 which is carried by arms 12 adjustably supportedlattheir outer ends upon vertical rods 10. The upper jacket is preferablysplit longitudinally on the line 13 and the two sections are clampedtogether by the ring 14. When the charge may be smelted at acomparatively low temperature and when carbon derived from theelectrodes is not prejudicial to the product, a single cooling jacketupon each electrode is generally sufficient. When the smelting operationrequires a high temperature, or density of the current carried by theelectrodes is high, or the metallic or other product is liable to absorbcarbon, it is preferable to employ two or more superposed jackets. Thenumber of jackets Aemployed may also be varied' in accordance wlth thelength of the electrodes. One or both of the jackets may be split ormadein sections to enable it to be easily applied to and removed from theelectrode. It is desirable that the jackets should fit closely upon theelectrodes, to facilitate the cooling, but that they should be freelyadjustable'upon the electrodes and within the furnace. The adjustabilityof the jacket enables its position to be varied in accordance with theheight of the charge within the furnace and the length of the electrode.The

jacket may be lowered substantially into contact with the charge, thuspreventing the surface of the electrode from being attacked by plroductsof reaction.

own upon vertical electrodes, it

While the IOO will be obvious that they are equally applicable tohorizontal or inclined electrodes.

I claim r- 1. In an electric furnace, an electrode, anelectrode-support, and a separate cooling jacket surrounding saidelectrode, said jacket longitudinally and independently adjustable uponthe electrode and Within the furnace, as set forth.

2. In an electric furnace, an electrode, an electrode-support, and aplurality of separate cooling jackets surrounding said electrode, saidjackets longitudinallyand independently adjustable upon the electrodeand Within the furnace, as set forth.

3. In an electric furnace, an electrode, an electrode-support,l and aseparate sectional cooling jacket surrounding said electrode, saidjacket longitudinally and independently adjustable upon the electrodeand within the furnace, as set forth.

4. In an electric furnace, an electrode, an electrode-support, and aplurality of separate sectional cooling jackets surroundingsaidelectrode, dependently adjustable upon the electrode and Within thefurnace, as set forth,

said jackets longitudinally and in- 5. An electric furnace, comprising aworking chamber havin a roof, an opening in the roof, a depending eectrode within said opening, a separate cooling jacket surrounding saidelectrode and within said opening, and means for vertically adjustingsaid jacket independently of said electrode, as set forth.

6. An electric furnace, comprising a Working chamber havin a roof, anopening in the roof, a depending e ectrode Within said opening, separatecooling ackets surrounding said electrode, one of said jackets withinsaid opening, and means for vertically adjusting said jacketsindependently of said electrode, as set forth.

' In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

FREDERICK M. .BECKET Witnesses:

R. L. MACDONALD, CHAs. IIUsARE.

